LOWELL -- Since its formation this year, Lowell Catholic's improv troupe has entertained the LC community with its humorous and fun skits. Now, the troupe is branching out and tackling a more serious subject -- high school and bullying.

In the past month, nine members from the improv troupe, along with club adviser and LC faculty member Rob Bonner, have visited neighboring elementary schools to speak about their experiences in high school, and to perform a short show about bullying.

The performances focus on the social pressures that many face in their lives. The students prepared and wrote all three skits, and since improv consists of improvising a performance on the spot, it was a creative departure that many enjoyed.

"We took our inspiration from real life, and it was fun to write and use our own words," sophomore Kyle Dumont said.

"This is something we all have experience with," senior Bryce Henderson added.

The first two skits focus on bullying and peer pressure, and the troupe's final performance turns the spotlight on cyberbullying, which has gotten increased coverage in recent years.

Each skit was followed by a short discussion session with the audience, as the performers discussed the actions of the characters, what the characters could have done differently, and what the characters did right. After the show, the students had a longer question-and-answer session in which they spoke about their own high-school experiences, bullying, peer pressure and other important issues all children may face.

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"It's been a joy witnessing my students rise up and act as leaders and role models for younger students," Bonner said. "It is essential to create an opportunity to open up a dialogue through which these issues can be discussed, and I hope our program allowed teachers and students to do just that."

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